To be more precise, Brian Tolley's title will be executive editor/director of audience engagement & growth at the Clarion-Ledger Media Group, according to a story just posted to the Clarion-Ledger's website.
Tolley, who fills a post that's been vacant since last summer, is coming from The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, La., where he worked for Leslie Hurst, now publisher of the Jackson paper.
He will be leading an especially traumatized newsroom, even by Gannett standards. The paper has been without a top editor since Ronnie Agnew left in July to lead Mississippi Public Broadcasting after the GCI-wide mass layoffs of 700 the month before. The managing editor's job also has been vacant.
Meanwhile, the newsroom faces the potential loss of both assistant managing editors if they accept recently offered buyouts. Indeed, paper-wide, 12 buyout offers are on the table: one in finance and 11 in the newsroom.
The newsroom now employs 50, according to one of my Jackson readers. So, those 11 potential buyouts could reduce staffing by more than 20% -- unless they're replaced. And even if they are, it's assumed -- as with all similarly-situated papers -- that new hires will be far less experienced.
Good news, bad news
"The good news for sites is you can replace these people,'' one of my California readers told me today. "Bad news is, you have to do so at a much lower salary."
My Jackson reader asks: "Does this look like a company positioning itself to deliver new and unique content that will make readers want to subscribe? . . . I can't believe there's a newsroom at a paper our size in any worse shape than the Clarion-Ledger."
Tolley starts March 12.
Publisher Leslie Hurst told the paper: “Brian has a proven track record as a successful editor, leader and change agent, and will be an excellent addition to our organization as we move forward in this fast-moving, ever-changing media and economic landscape."
Pulitzer Prize-winning Jackson has an especially distinguished history of public-service journalism, including for to the Klan-busting work of investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell.
Tolley was named Lafayette's editor in 2010. He also was the top editor over the Daily World in nearby Opelousas. In its own story on Tolley today, the Advertiser doesn't mention plans for his replacement.
By the numbers: circulation
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| Tolley |
He will be leading an especially traumatized newsroom, even by Gannett standards. The paper has been without a top editor since Ronnie Agnew left in July to lead Mississippi Public Broadcasting after the GCI-wide mass layoffs of 700 the month before. The managing editor's job also has been vacant.
 |
| Agnew |
The newsroom now employs 50, according to one of my Jackson readers. So, those 11 potential buyouts could reduce staffing by more than 20% -- unless they're replaced. And even if they are, it's assumed -- as with all similarly-situated papers -- that new hires will be far less experienced.
Good news, bad news
"The good news for sites is you can replace these people,'' one of my California readers told me today. "Bad news is, you have to do so at a much lower salary."
My Jackson reader asks: "Does this look like a company positioning itself to deliver new and unique content that will make readers want to subscribe? . . . I can't believe there's a newsroom at a paper our size in any worse shape than the Clarion-Ledger."
Tolley starts March 12.
Publisher Leslie Hurst told the paper: “Brian has a proven track record as a successful editor, leader and change agent, and will be an excellent addition to our organization as we move forward in this fast-moving, ever-changing media and economic landscape."
Pulitzer Prize-winning Jackson has an especially distinguished history of public-service journalism, including for to the Klan-busting work of investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell.
Tolley was named Lafayette's editor in 2010. He also was the top editor over the Daily World in nearby Opelousas. In its own story on Tolley today, the Advertiser doesn't mention plans for his replacement.
By the numbers: circulation
- Jackson weekdays: 59,166; Sundays, 74,744.
- Lafayette Monday to Saturday: 29,374; Sundays, 42,171. Opelousas: weekdays, 5,669; Sunday, 7,060.
Does this leave the EE position empty in Lafayette now? Apparently Tolley was only there for a year and a half. http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/louisiana-anyone-hear-about-editor.html
ReplyDeleteBrian Tolley arrived in Lafayette, LA, from a paper outside of Gannett. He came after the newsroom -- er, information center -- had been decimated by layoffs and attrition. It was down to 4 reporters at one time. After Hurst left, Tolley and the new publisher began hiring again, albeit young, mostly inexperienced reporters.
ReplyDeleteIt's painful to read about great papers like the Clarion-Ledger, the Indy Star and the Arizona Republic dying a death of a thousand cuts. I often wonder if the readers in those markets notice the decline?
ReplyDeleteThey all notice. Add Florida Today to that list and I can tell you the community is complaining loudly.
ReplyDeleteNot many ankle comments here. What's the deal?
ReplyDeleteTolley rarely, if ever, stayed in his office after 5 p.m. Flipped the newsroom staffing upside down. Others in the newsroom followed his lead and slacked. The place is a mess.
ReplyDeleteThe paper was absolute garbage prior to his arrival. He did a fantastic job of revamping the paper's look and content. The Advertiser is much better off today than when he took over two years ago.
ReplyDelete2:37's comment is part of a long-standing inside joke.
ReplyDeleteOk, you guys missed the key Gannett buzz phrase.
ReplyDeleteproven track record.
Jackson's circ. numbers are THAT low these days? Wow. That's just sad.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons The Advertiser is better today than 2 years ago is Hurst had cut the staff to 4 reporters. Difficult to put a product out 7 days a week with that size staff. Tolley and Ali built the staff back up. Tolley does sit in on story budget meetings, directing content, and some editorial board meetings. Rarely interacts with reporters, just editors and dept heads. He has been hands-on with some story projects -- in some cases improving them, in others sensationalizing them. He led The Advertiser's "passion topics" work, which got him noticed by Gannett. The newsroom knows when it's 5 o'clock: Tolley's door is heard shutting as he heads off to play tennis. He never embraced this area. Have the feeling he'd rather be back in the Carolina area.
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time the C-L had a network of stringers statewide that helped produce a paper labeled the State's Leading Newspaper. Today, sadly, that network doesn't exist and the beat reporters focus on Jackson, which is losing population is often referred to as DetroitSouth. The Legislative reporter, Elizabeth Crisp, just accepted a job in St. Louis. There is no experienced backup and the Legislature is in session. The local television stations routinely scoop the weak and inexperienced C-L staff. The buyouts hit the few remaining good writers, especially Rick and Bobby Cleveland and Billy Watkins. If these three go you can write the C-Ls obituary. There are no editors to help guide the cubs. The top editors are two AMEs and they are both on the buyout list. By the way, somebody in the know expain what digital involves.
ReplyDeleteThis piece, quoting extensively from former popular Clarion-Ledger columnist Orley Hood, outlines in detail the decline of what was an aggressive statewide daily newspaper.
ReplyDeleteThe Clarion-Ledger had been outstanding under Rea Hederman and in the early years of Gannett ownership, particularly under Charles Overby, but, except for Jerry Mitchell's good work, there hasn't been much else to the paper that I can see, except from the sports side of the operation, in part because Mississippi remains a football-intense state.
FYI, I do believe Mr. Tolley also was an editor at the highly respected, family owned Fayetteville Observer in North Carolina, so it is going to be interesting whether he can restore prestige to the Jackson paper.
Otherwise, one has to read the Jackson Associated Press dispatches, stories from the state's smaller dailies or weeklies or check television station WLBT and the Internet blogs and social media to find out what is going on in Mississippi.
http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/news_wars_the_rise_and_fall_of_the_clarion_ledger_090711/
This is television station WLBT's report of what is happening at The Clarion-Ledger
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wlbt.com/story/16936972/newspaper-employees-forced-into-early-retirement
Who the bleep cares when his door shuts for the day? Stop focusing on the trivial and focus on what matters: Does he deliver results or not?
ReplyDeleteGiven that mostly reporters post these comments, they're likely not at work any earlier than 9:30. Could be that he's already been at work for an hour or longer at that point. And if not? None of your business anyway. Focus on outcomes, not clock punching.
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ReplyDeleteI've worked in his newsroom so I know he's usually there from 9 to 5 (including at least an hour break for lunch, sometimes longer). It's a trickle-down effect. He watches the clock and works a 40-hour work week. Good for him. Like Hurst, he never embraced the community. The newsroom is now a ghost town after 5 p.m. because others have followed his lead (even those coming in after 9). There's a lack of leadership and no accountability.
ReplyDeleteHis actions routinely show that he doesn't care much about quality. Every day the newspaper is littered with errors. Say something about it and you're told don't sweat the small stuff. He doesn't seem to sweat anything and the mistakes continue to pile up.
Does he deliver results? Everything is geared toward Sunday sections so that readership has actually grown slightly. Now the daily product has suffered greatly.
Brian filled some openings for a depleted staff but made some really bad hires. His editors tell reporters to write stories then they're questioned for doing so by Brian or another editor.
One particular editor loves to scream and yell, sensationalize stories and throw things. It's really sad and frustrating to see.
Brian is a nice guy and has some good ideas, but there's a reason why morale is so low in the newsroom. Young reporters aren't getting any direction. You need a leader ready to lead by example and do more than asked (like the previous EE), not walking for the door at 5 p.m.
2:20, you sound like a classic copy editor. Whether you are or not, if you're the kind of editorial employee who "takes score" of when people come in and when they leave, then you're someone I'd never want in my newsroom. How do you know, for example, that the same people aren't working out of office? This is 2012 after all. The Age of Mobility has changed and will continue to change the traditional, office-based work culture.
ReplyDeleteBottom line: Focus on doing your own job. Measure people by what they accomplish, not their volume of office face time. In most cases, those who spend the most time in an office (and let everyone they work with know about it) are the most inefficient employees too: indecisive and/or bad work habits and/or inability to focus and/or your classic office 'social butterfly' who gets nothing done.
Maybe he just knows how to focus on his job and leave. Good for him. "Readership grown slightly"? In this age of readers abandoning newspapers en masse? That's a pretty significant achievement.
Sounds like you're griping over petty nonsense. I'll bet the errors are par for the course for any newspaper of that size. I'll bet the editor who 'loves to scream and yell' actually has fire in his belly and gets reporters fired up too. And sounds like Tolley is a guy with ideas who can make a once-strong newspaper strong again.
Sounds like 12:13, 8:58 and 2:20 struck a nerve with 5:46, who must be one of those clueless Lafayette editors. Brian did some good, but his hands-off approach hurt the newsroom with the other editors (his hires) being such poor communicators and decision-makers.
ReplyDeleteBet the editor who screams and yells is mad he can't do anything about these comments. He'll probably just scream and yell even more and continue to pass the buck to his staff and sensationalize their stories. It's not fire in the belly. It's a lack of professionalism and respect for others. Even the youngsters know that. So glad I'm not in that newsroom anymore.
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ReplyDeleteThe CL took a terrible hit (PR- wise and circulation) when it let local, columnist, Orley Hood go in 2008. Losing Agnew was about the only positive thing that has happened to the paper since then. But to think of not having Rick Ceveland,sports columnist, in the paper is unimaginable. Rick has over 40 years in with gannett -owned newspapers starting with the Hattiesburg American while still in college. But, I believe there are better things in his future and he should get while the getting is good - and Bobby, Billy, Gary, Debbie and all the others too! You just can't replace this much experience.
ReplyDeleteBrian hired a crop of fresh, young, industry-neophytes who have the potential to eventually leave legacies within Gannett. It is time for the "tenured" to let go of their egos and let a new generation dig their footprints. Brian came to a deserted no man's land - where was he supposed to hire all of this "seasoned" talent in LAFAYETTE, LA on a meager budget?? He did the best he could. Since he's been there Lafayette, LA has been knocking Gannett journalism awards of the park. As far as his hours go...that is one of the perks of being in the industry long enough to make your own schedule. Get off of the Gannett blog, stop griping, write some stories, and have the talent enough to become an executive editor - then maybe you can leave at 5 o'clock too.
ReplyDeleteEveryone at the Clarion Ledger is a day late & a dollar short. Production of this paper is pitiful. Customer service is null & void. They started layoffs in 2008 and more & more & more, when is it going to be enough? No one is ever held accountable. This paper can not survice with the present numbers of customers that are dropping like flies. Its too late to start trimmimg back. Good Luck
ReplyDelete4:22 p.m. - Best of luck with Brian leaving for Jackson after hiring you!!! My guess is Gannett will fold long before you and the other "fresh, young, industry-neophytes" leave "legacies within Gannett."
ReplyDeleteBrian gave me a great opportunity in Lafayette. Someone wrote he doesn't sweat the small stuff and he doesn't. It can be frustrating, but he's a big-picture guy more concerned about controlling what you can control. Some of the issues there are outside of his control. He is a good man and did some good things there. I wish him and his family all the best with the move to Jackson.
ReplyDeleteI used to work at The Clarion-Ledger, and I can't imagine a work environment anymore mentally torturous. They hardly have enough reporters to put the paper out, and none of the decision makers seem to care about this. With a handful of people left, they offer buyouts insinuating that if you are 56 and over, you'll soon be gone? None of the younger new hires can even afford to live in the city where the cost of living keeps rising, but salaries don't. This company should be ashamed.
ReplyDeleteOne of the big differences in Brian's tenure in Lafayette was that Leslie Hurst left midway through. Without her around, he was able to improve the situation. Going to Jackson to be with her...I know where I'd put my money. But he cares. He's nice. He tries to do the right thing. The Lafayette paper is in FAR better shape these days that it was compared to the heyday of his predecessor, a real whack job, who destroyed what had been a decent newsroom.
ReplyDeleteClarion-Ledger sports columnist Rick Cleveland to be named to lead the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.clarionledger.com/article/20120403/SPORTS/120403019/C-L-columnist-Cleveland-director-Mississippi-Sports-Hall-Fame
The clarion-Ledger doesn't even exist anymore. They only cover Jackson, and barely do that. It's more on par with a small-town weekly. The paper has been bleeding out since 2008, and has been pretty much worthless for the last year. Gannet should just close it, then create a new publication altogether.
ReplyDeleteMississippi desperately needs some real reporting. I wonder who, if anybody, will fill this gaping hole.
I worked for TCL for 15 years. I remember how proud I was when I started, how great I felt wearing that shirt with The Clarion-Ledger logo above the pocket. I felt like I was a part of something great. But, all that was simply flushed away when the "higher ups" slowly destroyed it from the inside out, like an incurable cancer. Where I once saw newspapers in everyone;'s front lawns when I walked my pups in the early morning, I now see simply front lawns, only a few now subscribe. The funny thing is, now I no longer care what happens to the paper - yes, "paper" because there's no "news" in it.
ReplyDeleteBottom line... Gannett should've bought everyone out and shut the C/L down. The paper is an embarrassment to true journalists and journalism. The "suits" and "skirts" hired clueless children to replace ousted, experienced journalists. One person now tries to do the job of 5, 6, 7 people. No raises, no incentives, no anything, but lies and lipservice trickled down to bitter, scared workers. The content is a joke and the cost is ridiculously high. Basically, Gannett is squeezing every last drop of blood out of a once great newspaper. Who will line Gannett's pockets with gold once the valiant few are gone?
ReplyDelete